At-home recycling overview

Recycling is an easy and convenient way to reduce your trash and protect the environment. Cities and property managers are required to offer residents the opportunity to recycle.

Free resources, including container labels and recycling guides, are available to improve recycling in your home and to distribute to friends and neighbors. 

See what's available and order free resources

What you can recycle

The recycling guide flyer lists what you can and cannot recycle in Hennepin County.

Recycling guide flyer (PDF, 2MB)

For more information on what's accepted, review the detailed yes and no list.

To learn about pick-up days in your community, contact your city recycling coordinator or waste hauler. 

Keep these items out of your recycling cart

Although you might want to recycle everything, the best thing you can do to support recycling is to only recycle the items accepted in your program and keep stuff that isn’t recycled out. That way recycling facilities and manufacturers get items they can make into new products.

Plastic bags and bags of recycling

Plastic bags and wrap get tangled in the equipment at recycling sorting facilities and workers spend hours each day removing them. This is a major reason why plastic film and bags are not accepted in curbside recycling programs.

Clean plastic bags and film can be recycled if brought to a drop-off location. Hennepin County drop-off facilities in Brooklyn Park and Bloomington accept them for free. Other retailers such as grocery and department stores also accept plastic bags. Review a list of retail drop-off facilities.

Large plastic items

Large plastic items like laundry baskets, storage bins, lawn furniture, plastic toys, and other large plastic items can't be recycled. There are not good markets for recycling these items, and they are difficult to sort at recycling facilities. Purchase high-quality items, use them for as long as possible, and donate items that are in good shape when you're ready to get rid of them.

Random metal items

Random metal items such as pots and pans, pipes, hangers, and tools can damage equipment and harm workers at recycling facilities. All metal can be recycled, just not in your recycling cart at home. Take random metal items to a scrap metal recycler. Find options for scrap metal.

Propane tanks

Cylinders and tanks contain a compressed gas that makes them explosive and potential fire hazards. It is illegal to put propane tanks, helium tanks, and other pressurized cylinders in your household recycling or trash. Properly dispose of all pressurized cylinders. Find options for tanks and cylinders.

Single-use plastic utensils and straws

Plastic utensils and straws are too small and difficult to sort at recycling facilities, and there aren’t stable recycling markets for them. Avoid them by choosing reusable options or refusing them when you can.

Paper plates, cups, and takeout containers

Paper cups, plates, takeout containers can’t be recycled because they are often lined with plastic or contaminated with food. Avoid them by choosing reusable cups, mugs and plates.

Electronics and batteries

Electronics and batteries can’t be sorted properly at recycling facilities, and certain batteries can cause fires at facilities. But batteries and electronics should be recycled at drop-offs. Find options for batteries and electronics.

Cords and string lights

Keep “tanglers” like cords, hoses and string lights out of your recycling bin. As the name suggests, these items get tangled in the equipment at recycling facilities. You can recycle cords and string lights at Hennepin County drop-off facilities. Find options for string and holiday lights.

Needles and sharps

Needles and sharps should be managed and disposed of safely to prevent injury and disease transmission from needle-sticks. They should never be placed in your recycling cart. Find options for needles and sharps.

More recycling information

Explore more recycling options by visiting the Green Disposal Guide.

What happens to your recycling

Questions about what happens to recycling after it leaves our homes have been increasing over the years. That's why Hennepin County is working with five other metro counties to restore trust in Minnesota's recycling system with this united message: In Minnesota, recycling is real and it works.

Minnesota and the Midwest are home to many recycling facilities that collect, sort, process, and manufacture items made from the bottles, boxes, and other containers we put our recycling bins.

For example, clear glass is made into bottles for drinks, pickles, salad dressing, and more in Shakopee, plastic milk and laundry detergent jugs are made into durable decking, fencing and landscaping products in Paynesville, and paper and cardboard are made into cereal and cracker boxes in Becker.

Here in the Twin Cities, you can be assured the recycling you put in your cart is getting recycled as long as the materials are accepted in your program and prepared properly. Minnesota state law requires this.

Our efforts to recycle and reduce waste save energy, protect resources, and support about 78,000 jobs in the state.

Learn more at Recycling Exists.

Waste disposal options

Learn how to get rid of items you can’t recycle at home in the Green Disposal Guide.

How to get rid of it guide

The how to get rid of it guide (PDF, 6MB) provides an overview of waste disposal options for residents. Topics include donate and repair, recycling, organics recycling, backyard composting, yard waste, household hazardous waste, medicine, needles and sharps, drop-off facilities and collection events.

The guide is available in English, Hmong, Oromo, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. 

Order printed copies for free

City cleanup events

Most cities across Hennepin County hold cleanup events, often in the spring and/or fall. Some cities offer special curbside pick-up service, while others open temporary drop-off sites.

Check with your city for details about events, including the schedule, what's accepted, and other guidelines.

Apartment, condo and townhouse residents

Property owners are required to provide residents with the opportunity to recycle.

Contact your building manager or association to find out where recycling bins are located and what type of sorting system is used at your property.

Contact your city recycling coordinator if this service is not available.

Learn about Apartment and condo recycling.